Create with Purpose
From the art on our walls to the spreadsheets on our desks and the buildings it all calls home, the human race has filled this world with the work of our hands, and most of it is pretty incredible. To go through life denying your own creativity is to deny something fundamentally human. I don’t care if you ‘can’t paint’, ‘can’t draw’, or ‘don’t enjoy crafts.’ I don’t even care if your art teacher hated you. You are creative one way or another, and to become the best version of yourself you should embrace your creativity with purpose and shape your life around your personal gifts and innovation.
Rest with Intention
There’s a reason people have their pet hobbies. Your interests make life enjoyable and interesting. Finding an enjoyable talent or activity will help you create moments of rest that are more than sluggery and that allow you to enjoy your leisure time. This isn’t about productivity per se. It's about tapping into a new form of relaxation, a form that leaves you feeling rested and fulfilled as an individual. Scrolling for hours, staring at the wall, or oversleeping may feel restful in the moment and may even be necessary in some part at certain points in your journey, but generally, they will not refill your physical and emotional cup and may even leave you feeling even more empty than before. Horrifying studies have been done on how many hours of our lives we spend doing various useless activities. Don’t become a part of those statistics. Make every moment count.
Discover and Appreciate Your Gifts
Can you draw, sing, or create an excellent spreadsheet? That isn’t inconsequential. You should nurture that gift. There are things that we may do without much thought for their use or potential for joy but which could easily be made into sources of fulfillment. Look out for moments in your everyday life which spark joy, activities you look forward to, or assignments you’re consistently excited to receive. These could be treasure troves for unrecognized skills or untapped wells of creativity. You may get a small rush of pleasure when asked to write a blurb for your company’s campaign or be relieved to be asked to a meeting where you’ll have the chance to draw on your note paper while listening to the discussion. Maybe you actually get excited over spreadsheets. Don’t brush these enjoyments aside. Capitalize on them.
Finding a brand new hobby is a great method as well. It could be as simple as picking up an old interest from your childhood or a less chaotic period of your life. Most of us have some experience with an instrument or sport that we eventually dropped that could easily be reawakened. There are some hobbies that don’t require special tools or preparation to begin and that yield instant physical evidence of your efforts, like drawing or writing. There may be something you’ve always wanted to try like pottery, sailing, or or sewing. There are a number of skills that are easily acquired and pursued as a beginner like knitting or singing. The list of potential passions is endless. The important thing is to find something appealing that you enjoy, that fits your needs as an individual, and that allows you to create and rest with purpose regularly.
Find a Community
As usual, I must include the call to interact with others. Don’t create alone! Find like-minded people who enjoy investing in the same forms of creativity that you do. Whatever hobby you indulge in, I’m confident that an internet chat exists for it somewhere. Having others to bounce your ideas and theories with is an important part of the creative process. The best option however is to find a way to meet with your fellow connoisseurs in person. Join your church’s quilting club or go on a historical tour with your nerdy Facebook group. Whatever it is, do it in community with other humans.
Better yet, start your own community. If you have a love for music and performance but can’t find an outlet then start that band your kids will make fun of you for. Invite people to toss some hoops at your neighborhood basketball court. Send your writing to a trusted critic. You don’t even have to do the same thing as the others in your community. Invite your friend over, and you can paint while they knit, who cares? Don’t wait around for others to get something going. Make it happen. Learn from them and let them learn from you.
Share Your Art
On a similar but slightly more specific note, do not let your art go unseen by others. Anything worth doing is worth sharing. Show your latest project to your group and let their compliments and constructive criticism shape you and refine your technique. On the other hand, be ready to have others show you their projects and be a good observer. Letting your work be seen and commented on is quintessential to learning and stewarding your craft. Ask questions, push back, and be active. Create with purpose and let that purpose be known to others. This will give you motivation to do better on each endeavor and to learn about your style. This is a part of being in a community of fellow creators but you can also start by sharing with a close friend or relative who will build you up. This is an intimidating part of creation, but it can be incredibly rewarding.
In conclusion, it is incredibly important for your self-cultivation to cultivate the gifts and talents have. You have them for a reason, and it is only reasonable to believe that they are a natural source of fulfillment, important for rest, labor, and being in a community. Create as you will naturally, but don’t create mindlessly. Create intentionally and with deep purpose.
